


A Promise for the Future

by Catw00man



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Gen, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-09 00:31:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/449242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catw00man/pseuds/Catw00man
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A routine debriefing with Colonel Elric's subordinate leads to a glimpse of the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise for the Future

**Author's Note:**

> I had so much fun with this one because I really adore seeing Roy with his hair down. ;-) I would say the setting here is from the first anime around the time of Fullmetal vs Flame.
> 
> Written for the [fma_fic_contest](http://fma-fic-contest.livejournal.com) where it took 2nd place for the prompt: _Role Reversal_   
> 

  


  


"Colonel Elric, the Flame Alchemist is here to see you."

Ed looks up from his desk and sighs. He heard Roy had arrived back in East City yesterday. It seems he's finally fit it into his "busy" schedule to come deliver his report. Ed accepts the report from his Lieutenant and flips through it. As usual it's incomplete chicken scratch but he's not surprised. Paperwork never has been one of Roy's gifts. He shakes his head and looks up to meet Havoc's sympathetic look.

"Send him in, Lieutenant." Havoc turns for the door and Ed attempts to steel himself against the confrontation he knows is coming. There's no question Roy is a talented alchemist. He proved that by nearly burning down his aunt's bar with a snap of his fingers at the young age of twelve. Thankfully no one was seriously injured and Ed still questions if it was his good fortune or a curse that resulted in him being the first to investigate. Yes he was granted the boon of being the one to bring such a young talented alchemist to the military...but sometimes he wonders if it's worth the constant headaches.

Many wonder at Roy's abilities but only Ed knows the truth of where he gained them. Amidst the burning rubble of the bar, he found the horror struck boy and terrified young woman with an alchemic tattoo on her back. He doesn't know the full story between them but he’s been able to use the threat of exposing her secret and prosecuting Roy for arson to keep him in line. So far. One of these days Roy will figure out it's an idle threat and when he does Ed has no idea how he'll be able to rein him in.

Ed lifts his eyes from the shoddy report when the door opens again and the cocky young man saunters in. As usual he's out of uniform, preferring his own tailored clothes to military regalia. His hair is a mess of dark spikes, scattered every direction, and Ed secretly wonders if Roy's ever heard of a comb. Not that it matters. He's going to do what he wants, but Ed can't help from commenting anyway. "Forgot your uniform again I see."

Roy scowls darkly and goes over to on the couch to the side of Ed's desk. He stares at it for a long moment like it might bite him then finally sits down on the edge. He turns his angry look on Ed again then shrugs. "You want me to find information on the stone. That's a lot easier when I'm not traipsing around looking like a military dog." He smirks, obviously satisfied with his answer. "Do you even realize how many people hate you?"

Ed shakes his head slowly. Roy has always attempted to put himself apart from the military, but it's the money from the military that helped rebuild his aunt's bar and keeps him in the fine clothes he likes to wear. Ed watches him arrange his long black coat around him and shakes his head. For all his attitude he has been a help researching the stone. Maybe one day Ed will have the chance to restore his arm because of it. It's not the same as getting Al back, but at least it would be something. Not to mention if there actually _is_ a power as great as the stone, the military needs to be the first to have it.

"I'm not interested in winning any popularity contests, Roy." Roy rolls his eyes and shifts on the couch. He's frowning again and acting like the furniture itself offends him and Ed shakes his head. He takes a breath then asks him wearily, "Is there something wrong, Flame?"

"Yes." His head snaps up and his dark eyes lock with Ed's. "Where did you get...this?" He waves his hand distastefully over the couch. "A garage sale?"

Ed stares at him for a long moment desperately trying to keep his temper in check. He learned to rein it in during the war because being hotheaded in those situations will only get your men killed. Not everyone has automail limbs that can be replaced. He takes a slow breath then answers him in an even tone. "It was my mother's. One of the few heirlooms I have from when my brother and I were growing up."

Roy's eyes immediately go wide and a look of horror and shame crosses his face. He fidgets and as much as Ed would like to keep torturing him, he can't. He shakes his head and lets out an exasperated sigh. "I found it at a discount. I wasn't aware I'd be critiqued on my furniture selection."

Roy's eyes immediately narrow and if he could shoot his deadly flames with a look there’s no doubt he'd be dead. He fists his hands, clad in the usual white gloves on his knees, and growls, "You, bastard."

"Yes, I'm the epitome of evil, Mustang. Can we get on with the report now?" Roy crosses his arms and scowls for a long moment before finally nodding. Ed knows that's the best he'll get from him now and he skims through the report. As usual he only wrote down the most cursory details. "So the stone in Lior was a fake, was it?"

"Yes." He turns his head to face Ed again and there's no missing the irritation in his voice. "Nearly ended up getting killed by that crazy prophet and his chimeras. Thank you for that."

Ed arches an eyebrow and glances back down at the report again as he answers him. "So is that why you blew up an entire church?" He doesn't miss the way Roy finches. It must’ve been a closer call than he wrote down. There must’ve been something to the false stone after all. Good to know. If there could be one, there could be others.

"It wasn't my fault. And those people are better off without being led around by the nose." Roy's voice takes on a mockingly superior tone as he smirks, "Except for by you, of course."

Ed raises his eyes and he realizes Roy thinks he winning this round. Time to show him just how wrong he is. "So tell me, Mustang, what did you really think of Siren? Is she really the knock out everyone claims?" Roy's eyes widen and Ed swears he sees a hint of a blush on those pale cheeks. He likes Roy to think he hears every detail of what he does, but it's not true. He does have a general idea, but it's moments like this that he really gets the full picture.

Ed did get a call from a detective in Acroya mentioning they'd had the assistance of a certain young alchemist so he knew he’d been there. Now he knows without a doubt Roy did interact with her and from the looks of it his usual charms didn't work on her. Roy's a natural with people, he always has been, but at some point he's going to need to learn he can't always rely on his charms and good looks or his deadly flame to get his way.

"She's pretty enough." Roy's still looking away and Ed knows he's right. She must’ve spurned him pretty bad to get him this moody. Ed hides a smirk behind the report. Now that he's got him on his heels he can move on to the information he really needs. He slowly clenches then relaxes his automail hand as he lowers his voice. "And the red water? I see there's no mention of that in your report."

Roy blows out an irritated breath and turns to face Ed again, his hands falling to his sides as he finally leans back on the couch. "Don't you mean to say, did I get the research?" He nods and fiddles with the edge of his long black coat draped around him on the couch. "Yes, I got it. I'm not sure how much good it will do you though, but I got it."

Ed nods and his shoulders drop at his words. Roy's a capable alchemist in his own right and if he doesn't think the red water can be of use then it probably isn't. From what Ed can tell by the reports it seems to be toxic. He'll be able to learn more after seeing the research but it sounds like it was a good thing Roy made his way to Xenotime regardless of the outcome. As usual, it seems Roy ended up helping people, even if his way ends up being more than a little destructive.

Ed hears Roy stand but for the moment he keeps his eyes leveled on the desk. It's been three years he's had Roy chasing after one rumor after another and they're no closer to finding an answer. He'd be chasing after answers himself, but as it is he's lucky no one's ever discovered he didn't lose his arm defending his home in the skirmishes leading up to the Ishval rebellion. Chasing after rumors of the Philosopher's Stone himself would only raise more questions. He knows there are still those who wonder how he became so alchemically skilled so fast, but being the "hero" of the Ishval quiets many rumors. He just wants to be able to make sure no one else loses a brother to needless war, and if he can get his arm back in the process, so be it.

"We'll find it, you know."

Ed raises his eyes to see Roy standing in front of his desk with a look of sheer determination on his face. His hands are fisted at his sides and for a moment he looks much older than the boy actually he is. He's seen this look on him before and it's caused him to wonder if he actually knows who the Flame Alchemist _really_ is. He goes out of his way to help people, more so than most anyone would, and he does it with social grace that even Ed hasn't mastered...when he's not blowing things up or setting them on fire. From the day he's become a State Alchemist, Roy's always shown the promise of something more, though Ed's never been able to put his finger on it. But now that he listens to him he finds himself believing every word, and it's not the first time.

"I believe you."

Roy nods and after a less than perfect salute he turns to leave, his coat swirling around him. Ed reaches for the stack of witness accounts from Xenotime Havoc brought him earlier and moves them off to the side. Unfortunately it sounds like they will be less useful than he thought. He'll keep them out until Roy gets him the official research though, just in case.

"We'll get your arm back, Colonel." Ed raises his eyes to see Roy standing at the door, back facing him as he turns his head slightly to the side to speak over his shoulder. He's never officially told Roy that's the reason he wants the stone, but he figured it was a safe enough assumption to let him make. Better he thinks it's for his own selfish reasons than for the possibility of something more. He nods, and he's about to thank him when Roy's voice grows more firm and he speaks again. "Then...we'll see if we can make things better."

Ed's eyes widen as Roy walks through the door and closes it quietly behind him. This is the first time he's ever said something so bold, but if he's honest with himself it's not completely unexpected. For as much of a brat as he can be sometimes, it all stems from youth and inexperience. He stares long and hard at the door and a smile curls his lips. Maybe getting saddled with the Flame Alchemist wasn't so bad after all. If that fire doesn't end up killing them both, maybe one day they will make the world a better place.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and concrit are always loved and appreciated. :-)


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